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LIVE NSD '18 BLOG: News, notes, videos, analysis, more

Patrick Surtain
Patrick Surtain (AP Images)

National Signing Day 2018 has arrived and Rivals.com has it covered from all angles. This will be your one-stop shopping for all the latest news, notes, videos, analysis and links to NSD's biggest moments.

CLASS OF '18 RANKINGS: Rivals250 | Team | State | Position | JUCO

MORE NSD: ANNOUNCEMENT GUIDE | RECRUITING GLOSSARY

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Jaylen Waddle has been one of the most closely watched prospects in the country, and one of the most difficult to confidently predict where he would land. On Wednesday, that mystery ended when he chose Alabama.

FULL STORY: NICK KRUEGER'S ANALYSIS

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There were plenty of rumors on Wednesday morning that Rivals250 wide receiver Jacob Copeland might spurn the Florida Gators for another school on his list, which included Tennessee and Alabama. And when he went to announce his choice live on ESPN2 on Wednesday afternoon, the contingent that joined him on screen was wearing a mix of Vols and Tide gear.

But when it came time to announce his choice, Copeland elected to commit and sign with the Gators, all while wearing a red suit. Shortly after he announced his choice, his mother, wearing an Alabama sweatshirt and a Tennessee hat, got up and walked off camera.

WATCH THE BIZARRE SCENE HERE

ROB CASSIDY'S ANALYSIS

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Perhaps no single prospect helped his stock more following an All-American performance than Dallas-area running back Maurice Washington. After a record-setting performance in the Under Armour All-America Game, he immediately piqued the interest of college football fans around the country, after he came into the game as a relatively unheralded recruit. Nebraska was one of the teams that jumped on him quickest and hardest, and the interest was publicly reciprocated. On Wednesday, Nebraska became his new home.

FULL STORY: NICK KRUEGER'S ANALYSIS

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There wasn’t much suspense involved in Rivals100 prospect Rick Sandidge’s commitment. The Concord, N.C., has been favoring South Carolina for months and now has announced he is signing with Gamecocks. Georgia and North Carolina were the two other finalists.

FULL STORY: ADAM FRIEDMAN'S ANALYSIS

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As things moved closer to National Signing Day, USC and a couple SEC schools - mainly Tennessee and Alabama - took center stage in Olaijah Griffin's recruitment. On Wednesday, the five-star player picked the Trojans.

FULL STORY: ADAM GORNEY'S ANALYSIS

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Add another notch to Clemson’s recruiting belt. Phenix City (Ala.) Central five-star receiver Justyn Ross committed to the Tigers during a nationally televised announcement Wednesday afternoon, beating both Alabama and Auburn for their in-state target.

FULL STORY: TigerIllustrated.com

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Penn State has invested considerable time and effort into recruiting Rivals100 offensive lineman Rasheed Walker and all of it paid off on Wednesday.

FULL STORY: ADAM FRIEDMAN'S ANALYSIS

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Four-star linebacker Solomon Tuliaupupu received numerous offers early in his high school career but he still took his time through the recruiting process and did not make his decision until National Signing Day. In the end, the Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei linebacker picked USC, a position of need for the Trojans.

FULL STORY: ADAM GORNEY'S ANALYSIS

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Four-star wide receiver Tommy Bush has committed to Georgia over Baylor, Ole Miss and Texas. He is the fourth prospect to announce a commitment to the Bulldogs on National Signing Day.

FULL STORY: UGASports.com

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It's not very often that a player from the state of Louisiana ends up signing with Utah but that's exactly what happened on Wednesday when three-star running back Devin Brumfield made the call for the Utes.

FULL STORY: WOODY WOMMACK'S ANALYSIS

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FULL STORY: ADAM FRIEDMAN'S ANALYSIS

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Kirby Smart might rest easy tonight. On the final weekend before signing day, he and his Georgia staff did not rest at all despite only hosting one official visitor. It was Rivals100 linebacker Quay Walker and the Dawgs did all they could to convince him to stay home — and it worked.

FULL STORY: CHAD SIMMONS' BREAKDOWN

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The last three months have been a whirlwind experience for four-star Javontae Jean-Baptiste but it has all come to an end with his commitment to Ohio State. The Oradell (N.J.) Bergen Catholic linebacker chose the Buckeyes over Virginia Tech, Nebraska, and Texas A&M during a ceremony at his school.

FULL STORY: ADAM FRIEDMAN'S ANALYSIS

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Lawrence Keys chose the Irish over Texas, marking a major recruiting victory for Brian Kelly and his staff. Keys joins a talented haul of wide receivers for the Irish in the class, including a trio of four-stars in Micah Jones, Kevin Austin and Braden Lenzy.

FULL STORY: WOODY WOMMACK'S ANALYSIS

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Arkansas added one of the final key pieces to its 2018 recruiting class with the addition of three-star Louisiana defensive back Joseph Foucha on Wednesday.

FULL STORY: WOODY WOMMACK'S BREAKDOWN

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The drama surrounding the recruitment of Rivals250 linebacker Dax Hollifield escalated over the last two weeks. Stanford, Virginia Tech, Clemson and North Carolina were all leaders at some point in Hollifield’s recruitment but it boiled down to Virginia Tech and Clemson.

During a ceremony at his school in Shelby, N.C., Hollifield announced that he will play college football at Virginia Tech.

FULL STORY: ADAM FRIEDMAN'S ANALYSIS

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Ohio State snagged a five-star tackle out of Florida, as Tampa-based tackle Nick Petit-Frere spurned in-state Florida and others in favor of heading north. Petit-Frere’s National Signing Day announcement was seen as a minor surprise.

FULL STORY: ROB CASSIDY'S BREAKDOWN

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One of the more intriguing recruitments of the 2018 cycle has come to a close, as five-star defensive back Patrick Surtain committed to Alabama on Wednesday.

FULL STORY: ROB CASSIDY'S ANALYSIS

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Caleb Tannor had Auburn, Florida, Nebraska, Ole Miss and Mississippi State hats on the table Wednesday morning and he shocked many when he chose the Huskers, the schools farthest from home.

FULL STORY: CHAD SIMMONS' ANALYSIS

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Alabama added an important piece to its 2018 recruiting class with the addition of three-star Louisiana defensive back Eddie Smith on Wednesday morning.

FULL STORY: WOODY WOMMACK'S ANALYSIS

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Miami received the last official visit from Marquez Ezzard and on the final day of that trip, he gave Mark Richt and his staff the news that they wanted.

FULL STORY: CHAD SIMMONS' ANALYSIS

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FULL STORY: NICK KRUEGER'S ANALYSIS

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The highest-ranked prospect to come out of Kansas City since five-star Ondre Pipkins in the 2012 class, Mario Goodrich ended up taking this recruitment all the way until National Signing Day and selected Clemson on local TV.

FULL STORY: JOSH HELMHOLDT'S BREAKDOWN

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Defensive back DJ Brown had been committed to Virginia for a very long time but decided not to sign during the Early Signing Period so that he could take his official visits and make sure it was the right decision. The Washington (D.C.) St. John’s College High standout took official visits to Cal, Northwestern, and Notre Dame, but ultimately decided to sign with the Fighting Irish.

FULL STORY: ADAM FRIEDMAN'S ANALYSIS

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The Georgia Bulldogs enter the day with a comfortable lead in the team recruiting rankings, followed by Ohio State, Texas, Penn State and Miami. But how will the team rankings shake out throughout the day? Can the Dawgs take home the 2018 recruiting title? Keep tabs on the team race HERE.

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Just a couple of days ago, it looked like it would be Virginia Tech for longtime Tennessee commit Anthony Grant. Then, less than 24 hours from the time he put the pen to the paper, Florida State started popping up more and more and the Seminoles are the ones who flipped the four-star athlete out of Buford (Ga.).

FULL STORY: CHAD SIMMONS' ANALYSIS

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